Jean-Charles Boisset hankered after Lyeth, a cult winery, for over a decade before buying it in 1994 and instilled the original winemaker Bill Arbois to produce wines that reflect the great growing potential of Sonoma County. Today, Sonoma County's maritime proximity provides the stable, mild climate that is perfect for the production of premium Merlot. They source the grapes throughout the county and aim to create a balanced blend that embodies the true taste of Sonoma. The wine has an attractive minty aroma and soft yet rounded fruit on the palate that is nicely buttressed by grainy tannins. Established by Chip Lyeth in 1981, Lyeth was one of the first wineries in California to pursue the unique complexity and composition achieved by the marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon with the other major Bordeaux varieties, now known as the Meritage style. The term 'Meritage' is a combination of the words 'merit' and 'heritage'. Lyeth became a founding member of the Meritage Association in1988, which created the Meritage concept as a means of identifying blends produced in the Bordeaux style. Today it continues the tradition of blending outstanding wines, winning praise from critics and consumers worldwide. (12 x 75 cl)
Region:
USA, California, Sonoma County
Producer:
Lyeth
Product ID:
47113
Lyeth L deLYETHSonoma County Merlot California
Description: The LyethSonoma County Merlot has an attractive minty aroma and soft yet rounded fruit on the palate that is nicely buttressed by grainy tannins. Delicious aromas, with complex hints of black plums, cherries and blackberries, highlighted with hints of mocha and truffle. Quality at this price, with a Sonoma County appellation, is nigh on impossible to find. Jean-Charles Boisset hankered after Lyeth, a cult winery in Sonoma, for over a decade before buying it in 1994. Originally founded in 1981, it built a formidable reputation during the 1980s under the guidance of its winemaker, Bill Arbois. When Boisset bought the winery, he immediately contacted Bill and brought him back on board. (12 x 75 cl) Price: £110.14
Sonoma-Cutrer LES PIERRES Chardonnay Sonoma Valley California
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Jackson Wine Estates MATANZAS CREEK MerlotSonoma County California
Description: Over 25 years ago Matanzas Creek Winery established a lasting tradition – a commitment to crafting exceptional wines sourced from the finest Sonoma County vineyards. This commitment, coupled with the beauty of the Estate's home in Sonoma County's Bennett Valley, has produced a Northern California treasure. Founded in 1977, Matanzas Creek Winery is located on the site of a retired dairy farm in Sonoma County's recently accredited American Viticultural Appellation , Bennett Valley. The Estate takes its moniker from the natural creek running through the area, which was named by Spanish settlers for the Pomo Indian deer hunts once common in the area. Predominately Merlot, this wine is also comprised of a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The Merlot fruit is sourced from the vineyard surrounding the Estate and Jackson Park, the Estate-owned mountain vineyard located 930-feet above Bennett Valley. The Bennett Valley fruit benefits from wide swings between daytime and evening temperatures resulting from a cool maritime breeze. This breeze, called the Petaluma Wine Gap is captured by the three mountains that envelop Bennett Valley – Bennett Mountain, Sonoma Mountain and Taylor Mountain. The well-draining, sandy loam soils also contribute to Bennett Valley’s model growing conditions for Merlot. Bennett Valley and Russian River Valley source the Syrah fruit for this blend, while Knights Valley is the primary source of Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine begins with a powerful nose that surpassingly leads with rich Bennett Valley grown Syrah. Black cherries, boysenberry and vanilla prevail on the palette. The Merlot fruit contributes a slight hint of smoke, resulting from basalt, an ancient ocean floor rock found in Bennett Valley soil. The concentration and intensity of Bennett Valley grown Merlot provides for an exceptionally full mid-palette and, what their French Assistant Winemaker called a uniquely long Cudali, translated as a 'finish that continues well after the wine is swallowed.' (12 x 75 cl) Price: £221.18
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Jackson Wine Estates MATANZAS CREEK MerlotSonoma County California
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Jackson Wine Estates MATANZAS CREEK MerlotSonoma County California
Description: Over 25 years ago Matanzas Creek Winery established a lasting tradition – a commitment to crafting exceptional wines sourced from the finest Sonoma County vineyards. This commitment, coupled with the beauty of the Estate's home in Sonoma County's Bennett Valley, has produced a Northern California treasure. Founded in 1977, Matanzas Creek Winery is located on the site of a retired dairy farm in Sonoma County's recently accredited American Viticultural Appellation , Bennett Valley. The Estate takes its moniker from the natural creek running through the area, which was named by Spanish settlers for the Pomo Indian deer hunts once common in the area. The wine has a red garnet colour while the nose is marked with aromas of black cherry, wild red berries, cassis, and sweet oak. Secondary aromas of bittersweet chocolate and black pepper are also noticeable. The wine is well balanced with an elegant, velvety mouth-feel and a long finish. (12 x 75 cl) Price: £221.18
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Jackson Wine Estates MATANZAS CREEK MerlotSonoma County California
Gallo Family Vineyards Sonoma County Merlot California
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Gallo Family Vineyards SONOMA COUNTY Merlot California
Description: Winemaking has been a tradition in the Gallo family for almost 70 years and in developing the Ernest & Julio Gallo Sonomawines, the winemakers have made a careful journey from vine to wine. The journey begins in Sonoma County where cool ocean breezes, lingering coastal fog and the warm sun nurture the ripening grapes. It ends with patient barrel-by-barrel tasting during fermentation and ageing to ensure that the potential tasted on the vine is captured in the bottle. Merlot is easy to like but difficult to make, because it is a wine that requires perfect balance of flavour, texture and complexity. Over the years Sonoma County Merlot has steadily gained a reputation, a direct result of the quality of its fruit. Merlot grapes thrive in an environment that, during the growing season, features an ideal combination of warm daytime temperatures and cooler conditions at night, usually with fog intrusion from the coast. Such conditions allow the grapes to mature slowly on the vines, building concentrated flavour and character in the process. When vineyards produce grapes bursting with intense varietal taste, it gives the winemakers a more varied palate to work with in the cellar and prior to fermentation, the harvest was de-stemmed but not crushed. When fewer grape skins are broken and mashed, the extraction of excessive tannin can be controlled more easily. Winemakers also employed a variety of fermentation techniques, splitting the task between upright and rotary tanks. Different methods emphasise different character traits in the wine. Finally, American and French oak ageing barrels were chosen to impart a soft, vanilla layer of complexity during the eight months this wine was aged. This vintage wins favour first with its inviting aromas of red cherry, berry and currant, laced with spicy hints of cedar. A taste reveals a palate rich in flavours of wild berry and soft notes of vanilla oak, the reward for nearly eight months of patient ageing in barrels with a medium to heavy toast. Well balanced and graceful this wine culminates in a long finish. (6 x 75 cl) Price: £71.03
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Gallo Family Vineyards SONOMA COUNTY Merlot California
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De Waal Estate Merlot Stellenbosch RSA
Description: 100% Merlot this red spends 18 months in 225-litre French barriques . The result of this is a deep red coloured wine showing ripe berry flavours with a hint of mint. A rich and full bodied Merlot to enjoy through to the enjoyable finish. De Waal Wine Estate, produced at Uiterwyk Wine Estate, situated in the cool Stellenbosch Hills, has been a De Waal family concern since 1864. The wines combine elegant Old World finesse and abundant New World fruit and was one of the first producers of Merlot in South Africa. The 1984 was the maiden vintage and was considered such good quality that it was chosen to be served to the first class passengers of South African Airways in 1986. (12 x 75 cl) Price: £81.85
Domaine de La Garelle Merlot Vin de Pays de Vaucluse
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Les Vignes de L'Eglise Grenache Merlot Vin de Pays d'Oc
Description: A Grenache Merlot blend showing dark stone fruits on the nose that develop on the palate of this soft well madewine. The Cave de Rivesaltes co-op was founded in 1932 and together with its partner, la Cave de Salses le Chateau, covers more than 3000 hectares, cultivated by 550 growers. New Zealander Alana McGettigan used some of the best fruit and the excellent facilities at the Cave de Rivesaltes in the Languedoc to make the Vignes de l'Eglise range. (12 x 75 cl) Price: £69.07
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Les Vignes de L'Eglise Grenache Merlot Vin de Pays d'Oc
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Jackson Wine Estates MATANZAS CREEK Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County California
Description: Over 25 years ago Matanzas Creek Winery established a lasting tradition – a commitment to crafting exceptional wines sourced from the finest Sonoma County vineyards. This commitment, coupled with the beauty of the Estate's home in Sonoma County's Bennett Valley, has produced a Northern California treasure. Founded in 1977, Matanzas Creek Winery is located on the site of a retired dairy farm in Sonoma County's newest American Viticultural Appellation , Bennett Valley. The Estate takes its moniker from the natural creek running through the area, which was named by Spanish settlers for the Pomo Indian deer hunts once common in the area. This wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc with a hint of both Semillon and Sauvignon Musque, it is bright in both colour and flavour, yet remarkably complex for a Sauvignon Blanc. This unique complexity is the result of precise selection and blending of fruit from five prestigious wine growing regions (12 x 75 cl) Price: £196.71
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Jackson Wine Estates MATANZAS CREEK Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County California
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Jackson Wine Estates MATANZAS CREEK Chardonnay Sonoma Valley California
Description: Over 25 years ago Matanzas Creek Winery established a lasting tradition – a commitment to crafting exceptional wines sourced from the finest Sonoma County vineyards. This commitment, coupled with the beauty of the Estate's home in Sonoma County's Bennett Valley, has produced a Northern California treasure. Founded in 1977, Matanzas Creek Winery is located on the site of a retired dairy farm in Sonoma County's newest American Viticultural Appellation , Bennett Valley. The Estate takes its moniker from the natural creek running through the area, which was named by Spanish settlers for the Pomo Indian deer hunts once common in the area. This wine has a vibrant blonde colour and a nose presenting citrus and floral character. Hints of fresh tangerine and lemon are subtlety enhanced by French oak influence. The careful selection and gentle handling of the Chardonnay fruit results in a finished wine boasting intense fruit flavour and balanced acids. (12 x 75 cl) Price: £219.00
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Jackson Wine Estates MATANZAS CREEK Chardonnay Sonoma Valley California
